Orland Park Boy Scout Troop 383 has enjoyed many milestones during its two and a half year history. At its Spring Court of Honor, the national award winning troop observed its scouts’ earned merit badges and rank advancements.

“Boy Scout troops hold courts of honor a few times a year to recognize the boys’ accomplishments and present the merit badges they’ve earned,” said Scoutmaster Gerry Klotz. “The boys were looking forward to this Court of Honor because so many of them advanced rank,” he added.

Five of the troop’s eight founder scouts who formed the troop in 2010 were recognized for reaching the rank of Life, one level away from Eagle Scout. Troop 383 scouts who advanced to Life included Bob Burns, Will Davis, JT Jakstavich, Tim Klotz and Vince Scaravalle. The five are also now candidates for the Order of the Arrow, the National Honor Society of Boy Scouts, having participated in the ceremony at the Nishnabec District’s Spring Camporee in mid-May.

“A few of us finished our rank requirements before the others and we kept pushing them to get their stuff done because we wanted to advance together,” said Senior Patrol Leader Tim Klotz. “We started Troop 383 when we were finishing Cub Scouts and we promised each other we’d stay together,” he added.

Life Scout rank is earned by fulfilling additional leadership positions, service hours, and merit badges. A Life Scout is expected to be a role model and leader in the troop, providing guidance to new scouts and helping the troop however he can.

“Other troops have older boys who help the younger guys,” said Assistant Senior Patrol Leader Will Davis. “We are the older boys and we’re in seventh grade with one eighth grader,” he said. “I think this is why it’s so important for us to help the younger kids coming into the troop because we had no older boys. We learned what to do with our scoutmaster’s help and through our training,” Davis added.

“I like our troop because it’s small and we’re all good friends,” said Assistant Senior Patrol Leader Bob Burns. “We work together to help the new scouts coming in, teach them what they need to know and let them know how everything works. We make sure everyone feels welcomed,” he said.

Six scouts were honored for reaching the rank of First Class. A First Class scout has learned all of the basic camping and outdoor skills, being able to fend for himself outdoors, lead others on a hike or campout, set up a camp site plan, plan and prepare meals and provide first aid for most situations. The six Troop 383 scouts who advanced to First Class included Steven Fechtner, Mitchell Kramer, Jaden Mossman, Jacob Monnett, Colin Motzny and Christopher Pearson.

“We send our new scouts through the Pathfinders Program at Boy Scout Camp where they complete a majority of the outdoor requirements through First Class,” Gerry Klotz explained. “This enables our scouts to learn from older scout instructors at camp, many of whom are Eagles or close to it. Summer camp is pivotal for a scout’s career, for the merit badges earned, rank advancements and most importantly for the camaraderie,” the scoutmaster said. “Our guys had a great time at summer camp last year and they’re looking forward to returning to camp for a week in June,” he added.

Shark Patrol Leader Jaden Mossman represented his First Class peers, lighting the ceremonial candle for the First Class rank.

“Everyone in our patrol made First Class together,” Mossman said. “We were together in Cub Scouts and it’s nice that we’re still together. We also push each other so we all move up, right behind the guys who made Life,” he said smiling.

The first rank within Boy Scouts is Scout, earned by applying and memorizing important scout basics. The newest member of Troop 383, Kevin Carroll was recognized for earning scout. After Scout is Tenderfoot and then Second Class and First Class.

Nearly 50 earned merit badges were presented at Troop 383’s Court of Honor, recognizing the scouts’ achievements over the last few months.

“Our guys work on badges on their own and they also go to Boy Scout sanctioned merit badge workshops around the state,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Darren Burns. “They like to go to the merit badge events because they meet with merit badge counselors outside of our troop and they meet scouts from across the country. We do a few of these a year,” Burns said.

“Troop 383 has been to some pretty cool merit badge workshops,” Burns said. “The boys have gone to Illinois State. They went to Bolingbrook’s Pathway to Eagle and to Merit Badge University in Elmhurst,” he noted.

“The boys are really excited to go to Space Jam at the Rantoul Air Force Base this summer,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Cindy Motzny. “Space Jam is the Midwest’s largest high-tech merit badge workshop,” she said, adding, “Some of the badges that Troop 383 scouts are taking at Space Jam include space exploration, electronics, scuba diving, aviation with an actual flight and emergency preparedness with a mock emergency drill. It should be a great experience.”

Orland Park Boy Scout Troop 383 is within the Nishnabec District of the Calumet Council of Boy Scouts. It is chartered by the Village of Orland Park Veterans Commission. Membership is open to boys who have earned the Cub Scouts Arrow of Light or have completed fifth grade through the age of 18. For more information, write to orlandtroop383@gmail.com.